Dupuytren's disease, which is alternatively known as palmar fibromatosis (or in its established disease state Dupuytren's contracture), is a disease associated with the build up of extracellular matrix materials such as collagen on the connective tissue of the hand (the palmar fascia) causing it to thicken and shorten with the physical effect of causing the fingers to curl, most commonly the ring finger and little finger.
Dupuytren's disease affects approximately 5% of the white Caucasian population. The commonest manifestation is progressive flexion contracture of the digits of the hand, resulting in significantly compromised function. It affects both males and females, but the incidence is higher in males.
The causes of Dupuytren's disease are not well understood and underlying disease is not currently curable.
Treatment of Dupuytren's disease has traditionally been invasive surgical techniques. Primarily, the treatment has involved surgical excision of the offending tissue. In severe or recurrent disease, the surgical excision may be combined with excision of the overlying palmar skin and resurfacing of the cutaneous defect with full-thickness skin graft. Surgery is typically followed by prolonged rehabilitation, usually lasting 3 months and complications have been reported in up to 20% of cases. Such surgical correction is the mainstay treatment of later stage disease when secondary changes to tendons and joints have developed. A less invasive surgical intervention is needle fasciotomy in which the fibrous bands (contractures) in connective tissue are divided using the bevel of a needle.
Enzymatic cleavage of the affected tissue has been the focus of development to reduce invasiveness associated with surgery and improve recovery time. This approach has led to trials of collagenase. A bacterial collagenase, Clostridial collagenase, has been granted FDA approval as Xiaflex™ to Pfizer and Auxilium. U.S. Pat. No. RE39941, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,589,171 and 6,086,872 describe the use of bacterial collagenase for the enzymatic cleavage of connective tissue in the treatment of Dupuytren's disease. Bacterial collagenases suffer from certain disadvantages: for example lack non-selective cleaving of various collagen materials including collagen type IV associated with blood vessels; and, in the case of Xiaflex™, possible allergic reactions and potential immunogenicity; and administration may cause haemorrhage whilst the prolonged activity of collagenase limits the dose that can be administered locally due to risk of side effects as the drug disperses.
WO 2010/102202 describes a novel temperature sensitive recombinant collagenase in which the activity is observed at significantly below body temperature, but which is comparatively inactive at body temperature. Thus Dupuytren's syndrome can be treated by administering such recombinant collagenase at lower temperatures, which it is claimed restricts the duration of activity, increases the possible local dose and reduces collagenase-related side effects.
To date collagenase therapies have appeared relatively effective in treatment of contracture of the metacarpophalangel joint, whilst the correction of proximal interphalangeal joints has been much less satisfactory. Furthermore, as with surgical interventions, recurrence can be expected, but in the case of early collagenase trials, which involve enzymatically cutting the cord, recurrence is high, especially for disease affecting the proximal interphalangeal joint.
Other non-surgical treatments that have been proposed include application of vitamin E cream applied as topical therapy, ultrasonic therapy and low-dose radiation therapy (for slowing the progression of early stage disease), such as X-rays and electron beam therapy.
Most research for treatments of Dupuytren's disease has focused on detecting pre-disposition to Dupuytren's (e.g. US-A-2004/0161761) and on the extracellular matrices produced, which has resulted in the collagenase-based treatments. There has been very little conclusive insight into potential treatments gained from studies into the biochemical pathway of Dupuytren's disease.
There remains a need for novel therapeutic intervention in the treatment and/or prevention of (e.g. progression of) Dupuytren's disease and other musculoskeletal fibroproliferative disorders.
The present inventors have found that administration of a TNF-α antagonist is surprisingly effective on its own or in combination with another Dupuytren's treatment in preventing the progression of early stage Dupuytren's disease and reversing later stage Dupuytren's disease as well as reducing recurrence of disease.